The present invention relates to a machine for automatically sharpening blades of ice skates under controlled, repeatable conditions.
Typical machines and methods for sharpening ice skates are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,534,134; 4,558,541 and 4,235,050. These machines, while permitting automatic sharpening of ice skates once the skates are clamped in position, have drawbacks in positioning and clamping of the skates, as well as the inability to select for either hollow grind or flat ground skate blade bottom edges.
An earlier machine for skate sharpening which moved the skates along a generally linear path with two skates arranged heel to heel is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,735,533. This machine was capable of being set to grind either figure skates or hockey skates.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,235,050 illustrates a skate sharpening machine for grinding the skate blades in a manner to compensate for the normal convex configuration of the blades from end to end, by providing a different biasing force for the wheel at the ends of the cut. The change in bias is controlled by sensing means that detect the grinding resistance of the work piece on the grinding wheel, so that when the grinding resistance decreases the biasing means will make an appropriate adjustment.